Businessman Charlie ‘Atong’ Ang formally lodged five complaints on Thursday against two whistleblowers, who implicated him in the unresolved disappearance and killing of 34 online cockfighting enthusiasts collectively known as the ‘missing sabungeros.’
In a press conference, Ang strongly denied the charges of Julie ‘Dondon’ Patidongan and Alan Bantiles. He accused them of conspiring to commit an attempted robbery with violence and intimidation, grave threat, grave coercion, incriminating against innocent persons and slander.
Ang filed the cases before the Office of Mandaluyong City Prosecutor Arthur Magpantay with lawyer Lorna Kapunan and Pitmaster executive director Caroline Cruz.
Kapunan said they are speaking out not only to clear Ang’s name from the allegations against him, but also to express their willingness to cooperate with the government in its ongoing investigation of the missing sabungeros’ case.
“We are on the side of justice here. We are on the side of the families who lost loved ones; who up to now do not know where their families, relatives are. So, we hope with our submission of evidence—because we have affidavits here—the government will also read them,” Kapunan said.
Speaking on behalf of her client, Kapunan said they are hoping law enforcement authorities would follow leads that are not based on the accounts of men who were dragging Ang in the controversy. She described Patidongan’s testimony as “false” and “misleading.”
Kapunan said Patidongan—who first went by the alias ‘Totoy’—was only interested in money and had plans of leaving the country. “If you are innocent, you will face the case and clear your name. Those who are feeling guilty entertain thoughts of running away to disappear,” she added.
“Let us see what will happen to the investigation. But in our case, we are very confident that there is strong evidence for the five cases that we have filed on behalf of Atong Ang,” Kapunan told reporters.
Ang, for his part, appealed for fairness particularly from the media industry, which he said seemed to believe everything that Patidongan said. He criticized television networks for repeatedly airing the whistleblowers’ narratives without allegedly getting his side of the story.
The business tycoon complained about reports that he tried to bribe Patidongan, which he denied. “It seemed so one-sided,” Ang said.
